ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 137 



long fringes of my leathern inexpressibles. But I scarcely know 

 how to commence a description of the tout en sernble of the camp, 

 or to frame a sentence which will give an adequate idea of the 

 extreme filth, and most horrific nastiness of the whole vicinity. 

 I shall therefore but transiently glance at it, omitting many of 

 the most disgusting and abominable features. 



Immediately as I entered the village, my olfactories were as- 

 sailed by the most vile and mephitic odors, which I found to pro- 

 ceed chiefly from great piles of salmon entrails and garbage 

 which were lying festering and rotting in the sun, around the very 

 doors of the habitations. Fish, recent and half dried, were scat- 

 tered all over the ground, under the feet of the dogs, wolves and 

 Indian children; and others which had been split, were hanging on 

 rude platforms erected within the precincts of the camp. Some of 

 the women were making their breakfast of the great red salmon 

 eggs as large as peas, and using a wooden spoon to convey 

 them to their mouths. Occasionally, also, by way of varying the 

 repast, they would take a huge pinch of a drying fish which was 

 lying on the ground near them. Many of the children were 

 similarly employed, and the little imps would also have hard 

 contests with the dogs for a favorite morsel, the former roaring 

 and blubbering, the latter yelping and snarling, and both rolling 

 over and over together upon the savory soil. The whole economy 

 of the lodges, and the inside and outside appearance, was of a piece 

 with every thing else about them — filthy beyond description — the 

 very skins which covered the wigwams were black and stiff with 

 rancid salmon fat, and the dresses, (if dresses they may be 

 called) of the women, were of the same color and consistence, 

 from the same cause. These dresses are little square pieces of 

 deer skin, fastened with a thong around the loins, and reaching 

 about half way to the knees ; the rest of the person is entirely 

 naked. Some of the women had little children clinging like bull- 

 frogs to their backs, without being fastened, and in that situation 



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